Mark Purdon hospitalised after trackwork accident

Champion harness racing trainer Mark Purdon faces an extended stint on the sidelines after a training mishap on Thursday left him with fractures in his hip and pelvis.

But the all-time racing great knows it could have been much worse.

The 62-year-old was knocked unconscious when a young filly kicked him with both hind legs while he was sitting in the sulky about to drive his star juvenile Coal Fire in trackwork in Canterbury.

That type of accident is commonly known in equine circles as being “double-barrelled”  because of a horse kicking a human with both back hooves at the same time.

The two-year-old filly was not trying to hit Purdon but lashing out at another horse and the multiple premiership winner was simply caught in the crossfire.

“I have been better but I realise it could have been a lot worse,” Purdon told the Herald from hospital on Thursday night.

“I was side on to her so she got me in the side whereas if those kicks has landed on my back then the result could have been a lot worse.

“So I am a bit sore but there are people a lot worse off than me.”

Purdon says while he suffered two fractures doctors are hoping he doesn’t need surgery just a fair bit of time on the sidelines.

He has, obviously, been replaced on his organised drives for Friday night’s huge Harness Million meeting at Addington.

“Not needing surgery is a big plus and I am already up on crutches and doing some laps of the ward here [at the hospital],” said Purdon.

“Its not too bad while I am using them to walk in a straight line but a bit hard when I have to turn corners.

“But I’d say I will be away from driving of any sort for a while.”

Purdon is commonly regarded as one of the world’s greatest ever harness racing trainers and has set records, particularly at his busiest last decade, that will likely never be matched in this part of the world.

by Michael Guerin, for Harness Racing New Zealand